NA-22 Mardan to witness tough contest

MARDAN/TAKHTBHAI: A tough contest is expected between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)’s Maulana Mohammad Qasim on NA-22 being held today.

A total of 471,184 voters are registered in NA-22, which was formerly known as NA-10 Mardan-II. The name was changed to NA-22 Mardan-III after the delimitation in 2018.

In the 1977 election, Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) candidate Maulana Habib Gul won this seat. In 1985, independent candidate Nadir Shah emerged victorious from this seat while in the 1988 election JUI (DG) candidate Maulana Shaheed Ahmed succeeded. In 1990, independent candidate Mohammad Aslam Khan Khattak won this seat. In the

1993 election, Muttahida Deeni Mahaz candidate Maulana Shaheed Ahmed won this seat.

In the 1997 election, Awami National Party (ANP) candidate Shams-ur-Rehman Qasim won this seat. In the 2002 and 2008 general elections, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal candidate Maulana Mohammad Qasim won this seat while in 2013 and 2018 general elections, PTI candidate Ali Mohammad Khan won this seat.

This time Imran Khan, Maulana Mohammad Qasim, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Abdul Wasih and independent candidate Mohammad Sarwar are running for this seat.

The PDM arranged a public meeting, which was addressed by Maulana Fazlur Rahman and other leaders. Imran Khan also addressed a rally in Mardan. The JI also arranged a public meeting, which was addressed by its Amir Sirajul Haq. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and ANP aren’t part of the PDM, however, both the parties campaigned for the PDM candidate Maulana Mohammad Qasim. The Election Commission of Pakistan has established 330 polling stations for the election.